F 
802 


NEW  MEXICO 

TERRITORIAL  IMMIGRATION 
REPORT 


BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 


University  Library 
University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


MEXICO 


TERRITORIAL 


IRIEIE'OIR/T 

AS  TO 


o?/  /?? 


This  Report  was  prepared  by 

M.  FISCIIEK  AND  ANTONIO  Y.  A.  ABEVTIA, 
Commissioners,  Socorro,  Socorro  County. 


•SOCOKRO,  N.  M. 

SOCORBO  DAILY  NEWS  OFFICE. 

1881. 


MEXICO 

/s  ^ 


TERRITORIAL 


AS  TO 


D  ii  11 


This  Report  was  prepared  by 
M.  FISCHEE  AND  AKTOKIO  Y.  A.ABE  YTIA, 

Commissioners,  Socorro,  Socorro  County. 


SOCORRO,  N.  M. 
SOCORRO  DAILY  NEWS  OFFICE. 

1881. 


Bancroft  Li 


IRIEIPOIR/Z1 

OF  THE 

COMMISSIONERS  OF  SOCORRO  COUNTY. 


LOCATION. 

Occupying  that  portion  of  Xew  Mexico  known  as  the  Western  Central, 
and  embracing  an  area  of  near  17,000  square  miles,  is  the  County  of  Socorro. 
It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Valencia  County,  on  the  west  by  the  Territory 
of  Arizona,  on  the  south  by  Grant  and  Dona  Ana  Counties,  on  the  east  by 
Lincoln  County,  and  lies  largely  in  Latitudes  33°  and  34°.  The  altitude  is 
from  4,000  to  5,000  feet  in  the  valleys  and  from  10,000  to  14,000  feet  in  the  moun- 
tain ranges,' thus  giving  almost  any  climate  desired. 

THE  FACE  OF  THE  COUNTRY 

Is  varied,  a  large  portion  being  vast  plains  and  fertile  valleys,  and  the  remain- 
der being  foothills  and  mountains,  covered  witn  timber,  teeming  with  game 
and  rich  in  the  noble  and  baser  metals.  Indeed,  when  the  great  Humboldt 
said  three-fourths  of  a  century  ago  that  the  "wealth  of  the  world  would  be 
found  in  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,"  he  must  have  had  the  county  of  Socorro 
in  his  mind's  eye. 

THE  POPULATION 

At  present  cannot  be  less  than  22,000,  of  which  the  native  or  Mexican  element 
comprises  about  15,000,  the  remainder  being  immigrants,  not  only  from  the 
States,  but  from  all  portions  of  the  civilized  world.  While  a  few  of  these  are 
mere  adventurers,  a  large  porportion  are  here  for  the  purpose  of  making  Mi  is 
their  future  home,  and  of  course  are  interested  in  the  growth  and  prosperity 
of  the  country.  The  native  population  and  the  immigrants  from  the  States 
move  together  hand  in  hand,  and  if  there  ever  was  any  jealousy  existing  be- 
tween the  two  .people  it  is  fast  becoming  a  thing  of  the  past  as  they 
learn  lo  know  ench  cither  better. 

THE  CHARACTER  OF  THE  SOIL 

.•Varies  grratly,  from  a  rich,  sandy  loam  in  the  valleys  to  a  coarse, 
gravelly  soil  in  the  more  elevated  portions  of  the  county.  All  kinds  of  tem- 
perate and  semi-tropical  fruits,  gram  and  vegetables  are  raised  abundantly  in 
tho  valleys,  while  the  plains  and  mountain  ranges  will  give  pasturage  to  count- 
less herds  of  horses,  cattle  and  sheep.  Xo  country  on  earth  will  excel  the 
-.Valley  of  the  Rio  (-ramie  and  its  tributaries  for  the  production  of  the  grape, 

1 

pear,  peach  and  small  fruit*,  and  in  time  it  will  supply  tiie  great  cities  of,  the    | 


North  and  Northwest  with  the  earliest  and  most  delicious  of  the  products  of 
the  horticulturist.  Here  the  "Mission,"  the  queen  of  all  grapes,  flourishes 
almost  without  attention,  and  from  it  a  wine  is  made  which  when  manufac- 
tured with  proper  care  rivals  that  of  the  most  famous  vintage.  Pears,  peaches, 
cherries  and  the  different  varieties  of  berries,  are  grown  to  perfection.  All 
( vegetables  can  be  successfully  cultivated.  As  the  planter  depends  altogether 
upon  irrigation,  such  a  thing  as  a  failure  of  crops  is  almost  unknown. 

THE  CLIMATE 

Is  unexcelled,  and  for  tuberculosis  and  other  lung  diseases  it  has  no  superior, 
especially  in  the  valleys,  where  the  altitude  is  not  over  5,000  feet.  The  atmos- 
phere is  dry  and  bracing,  with  but  few  heavy  winds,  and  comparatively  little 
dust,  that  bane  of  most  mountainous  countries.  The  time  is  not  far  distant 
when  this  portion  of  New  Mexico  will  become  a  great  health  resort. 

GAME  IN  ABUNDANCE 

Is  found,  consisting  of  bear,  deer,  antelope,  mountain  sheep,  rabbits,  water 
fowl,  etc.,  wliile  the  mountain  streams,  especially  m  the  western  part  of  the 
County,  afford  fine  fishing. 

GOOD  TIMBER 

For  building  purposes  is  found  in  the  mountains.  It  consists  principally  of 
pine,  pinou,  oak  and  other  varieties  peculiar  to  this  latitude.  In  fact  Socorro 
i-  one  of  the  best  timbered  counties  in  the  Territory.  Several  saw  mills  are 
now  in  operation,  and  more  are  either  in  course  of  building  or  contemplated. 
SOCOITO  County  in  time  will  become  the  stock-raising  county  of  the  Territory. 
The  grass  in  the  mountainous  districts  and  upon  the  plains  is  abundant  and 
nutritious,  and  the  mildness  of  the  winters  makes  any  artificial  protection  for 
stock  wholly  anneeessary.  Sheep  and  cattle  do  remarkably  well.  Great 
improvements  in  breeding  have  been  attained  within  the  past  few  years,  and 
in  the  future  the  wool  and  cattle  shipped  will  not  be  far  behind  in  quality  that 
producecrin  the  East. 

The  County  is  comparatively 

WELL  WATERED 


H\  .several  streams  and  springs.  The  swift-running  Rio  Grand  flows  through 
il  from  north  to  south.  Besides  this  river  we  havs  the  Rio  Polomas,  Rio  Los 
Ammas:  also  the  Hio  San  Francisco  and  headwaters  of  the  Gila,  in  the  western 
parr  of  the  county.  In  the  center  of  the  County  are  the  plains  of  San  Angus 
tint1,  which  can  be  amply  watered  by  means  of  artesian  wells.  When  this  is 
done  this  vast  waste  of  country  will  become  productive,  as  the  soil  is  very  rich. 
In  the  mountains  are  numerous  fine  streams  of  the  very  best  of  water. 

The  principa1  towns  are* Socorro,  the  County  Seat,  Polvidero,  Limitnr 
and  La  Joya;  Grafton,  Chloride,  Fairview,  Carbonateville,  Clairmont  and 
Alma  are  mining  towns.  San  Francisco  is'surrounded  by  a  fine  agricultural 
and  grazing  country,  and  bids  fair  to  become  an  important  point.  .The  chief 
point  is  Socorro,  the  County  Seat,  which  contains  a  population  of  at  least  M,ooo, 
three-fifths  of  whom  are  of  Spanish  descent.  From  its  natural  location  and 
other  advantages  it  is  destined  to  become  a  leading  commercial  center  and  the 
metropolis  of  a  vast  mining,  agricultural  and  stock-raising  country.  The  town 
is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande  and  within  three 


miles  and  a  half  of  the  Socorro  Mountains.  A  fine,  warm  spring  breaks  out 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  and  Hows  through  the  city,  furnishing  water  in 
abundance. 

THE  SOCIETY 

fs  us  good  as  can  be  found  anywhere,  the  citizens  not  tolerating  the  desperado 
or  bully  so  frequently  met  vvirh  on  the  frontier.  The  Roman  Catholics,  Pres- 
byterians and  Methodists  all  have  good  churches,  which  are  well  attended.  A 
College  that  will  be  second  to  none  in  the  Territory  is  in  course  of  erection. 

THE  A.,  T.  &  S.  F. 

Railroad  gives  the  City  and  County  connections  with  both  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  sea  boards.  Surveys  have  been  made  for  another  road,  the 

NEW  MEXICO  &  SOUTHERN, 

Which  will  connect  the  County  Seat  with  the  mines  of  the  Black  Range  and 
Mogollons,  and  ultimately  push  Westward  until  it  reaches  the  Pacific  coast. 

Socorro  has  no  superior  as  a. 

HEALTH  RESORT, 

As  the  experience  «.f  numerous  persons  who  have  been  benefitted  will  attest. 
VYhilo  the  altitude  is  not  high  enough  to  be  oppressive  to  persons  with  weak 
lungs,  it  is  above  the  malarial  belt.  Ague  is  unknown. 

While  Socorro  County  offers  great  inducements  to  the  fruit  grower  and 
stock  raiser,  it  is  not  on  those  resources  alone  that  we  base  our  expectations 
for  future  wealth  and  prosperity.  It  is  to  our  unexcelled 

MIXER  A  L  RESOURCES 

That  we  look  forward  to  with  a  confidence  that  comes  from  the  meagre  devel- 
opments already  made,  and  that,  too,  in  the  face  of  many  difficulties.  It  is  an 
established  fact  that  the  County  of  Socorro  embraces  not  only  the  greatest 
extent  of  mining  lands  in  rhe  Territory,  but  also  some  of  the  very  best.  Her 
silver  and  copper  ores  are  remarkably  rich,  assaying  often  into  the  hundreds, 
and  many  times  into  the  thousands  of  ounces  to  the  ton.  Well  defined  leads 
of  copper  have  been  located  which  assay  from  40  to  70  per  cent,  of  the  metal. 
When  we  take  into  consideration  the  fact  that  the  copper  ores  of  Lake  Superior 
give  but  five  to  seven  percent,  of  the  metal,  and  are  worked  profitably,  can 
anyone  doubt  that  the  mines  of  Socorro  County  will  prove  a  source  of  immense 
wealth  V 

The  most  noted  silver  leads  so  far  discovered  assay  from  60  to  300  ounces 
to  the  ton.  and  as  the  ore  is  easily  treated,  leaves  an  immense  profit  to  the 
mine  owner.  ,.  As  an  evidence  that  practical  mining  men  are  satisfied  as  to  our 
resources,  it  is  only  necessary  to  state  that  a  stamp  mill  and  smeltry  are  in 
course  of  erection  at  Socorro,  and  a  smeltry  is  now  in  active  operation  in  the 
Magdalenas.  Others  will  be  built  in  the  Black  Range  and  Mogollons.  Silver 
exists  in  almost  every  variety  of  rock  J  found  in  the  County.  The  best  ore, 
of  course,  is  found  in  regular,  well  defined  leads.  These  leads  [seam  all<|  the 
mountain  ranges  in  the  County.  The  Socorro  Mountains,  Black  Range,  Mag- 
dalenn,  Mosollon,  (iallinas, 'San  Felicite,^ Pueblo, *! Bear^Mountain,  tOscura,  j 
Water  Canon  and  other  districts, rare  developing  wonderfully.  TheJLimitar, 
Ladrone  and  Mogollon  districts  are  not  only  rich  in  silver  but  also  in  copper. 


GOLD 

Is  found  in  different  localities,  notably  in  the  Mogollon  and  Black 
'•'ange  districts.  The  celebrated  Ivanhoe  mine,  which  could  not  to-day  be 
purchased  for  $1,000,000,  is  in  this  county,  as  is  the  Torrance,  for  which 
s.-)00, 000  has  been  refused.  Of  course  these  figures  are  exceptional,  but  there 
are  scores  of  mines  that  have  been  sold  to  practical  mining  men  at  prices  from 
.si 0,000  to  $75,000  each.  The  transactions  in  mines  have  been  carried  on  in  a 
quiet  manner,  not  with  that  "boom"  which  indicates  a  camp  that  is  but  for 
the  day.  Mining  experts  all  unite  in  saying  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant 
when  Socorro  County  will  lead  in  the  production  of  silver  and  copper  and 
other  metals.  All  that  is  needed  is  the  judicious  investment  of  capital  to  bring 
this  about. 

COAL 

We  have  in  abundance,  and  located  at  points  easily  accessible,  thus  solvmg 

question  of  cheap  fuel.    A  railroad  eight  miles  long  is  now  being  built  to 

(•"imect  the  A.  T.  &  S.  F.  K.  E.  with  the  coal  beds,  and  will  be  completed 

this  fall. 

IRON 

(  'i'  ihe  bost  quality  is  found  scattered  over  large  districts,  and  in  connection 
i  el  leap  fuel  will  be  a  profitable  investment  for  the  capitalist.  Manganese 
and  Antimony  are  also  met  with  in  large  quantities. 

Of  Zinc  Ore  we  have  an  abundance,  notably  in  the  Magdalenas. 

Immense  deposits  of  Lead  have  been  opened,  but  are  not  worked  to  any 
Mt.  With  low  freights  the  mining  of  this  metal  will  become  one  of  our 
leading  industries. 

Sulphur,  which  enters  so  largely  into  the  arts  and  sciences,  is  found  here 
in  almost  unlimited  quantities,  and  nearly  pure. 

Aluminum,  the  base  of  all  the  clays,  is  one  of  the  leading  metals  of  the 


Porcelain  and  Fire  Clay  abounds  to  a  plentiful  extent. 

A  very  superior  quality  of  hard  marble  has  been  discovered,  and  covers 
a  large  extent  of  territory. 

Mica,  Graphite,  Chalk,  Salt,  and  in  fact  nearly  all  the  known  metals,  are 
met  with  here,  almost  all  of  which  would  pay  a  handsome  margin  on  the  money 
--ted  in  their  development. 

Although  this  portion  of  Uncle  Sam's  dominion  was  the  first  colonized 

'uropeans,  yet  its  mines  are  the  least  known.    But  within  the  past  year 

and  a  half  a  wonderful  change  has  been  wrought.    Hardy  prospectors  have 

come m  by  the  score,  followed  by  the  capitalist,   who,  seeing  our  wonderful 

r<"Miurces,  have  not  hesitated  to  invest. 

To  illusmite  the  activity  that  lias  1  ately  been  manifested,  it  is  only  nec- 

r>  t<>  state  that  nearly  :-J,ooo  locations  of  valuable  mining  properties  have 

ivordod  within  the  past  six  months.    Most  of  these  locations  have  been 

made  by  prospectors  not  very  well  provided  with  this  world's  goods,   thus 

enabling  capitalists  to  purchase  good  property  at  a  mere  fraction  of  its  real  value. 

The  early  Spaniards  were  evidently  acquainted  with  the  great  mineral 

wealth  of  this  portion  of  Xew  Mexico,  as  the  remains  of  their  work  will  amply 

•'.     When  it  is  known  that  they  shipped  into  Spain  and  Mexico  millions 

>}lars,  and  that  their  work  was  done  in  the  rudest  manner,  what  can  we 


:r=  ~ — 

expect  will  be' the  result  of  the  improvements  in  mining  that^we  tind  two  cen- 
turies later?  These  early  miners  knew  nothing  of  the  high  explosives;  they 
transported  their  ores  on  the  backs  of  mules  and  men  hundreds  of  miles  to  be 
smelted  in  the  most  primitive  manner,  yet  wealth  flowed  into  the  lap  of  Spain 
in  such  profusion  as  to  astonish  all  Christendom.  At  present  one  miner  can 
do  as  much  work  in  a  day  as  a  score  could  have  done  two  centuries  ago  in  the 
same  time,  and  of  course  the  results  will  be  as  great  porportionally. 

It  is  an  evident  fact  that,  however  rich  a  mine  mav  be,  it  needs  capital 
to  develope  it.  Money  is  required  to  get  the  mine  into  a  shape  for  its  econom- 
ical working  and  the  purchase  of  machinery  before  it  can  be  made  produc- 
tive. The  investor,  knowing  this  fact,  naturally  looks  about  him  for  a  point 
where  with  the  least  expense  he  can  achieve  the  greatest  results.  We  are 
confident  that  Socorro  County  offers  this  advantage. 

Our  Gold,  Silver  and  Copper  Mines  are  not  the  only  inducements  we 
hold  out  to  skill  and  capital.  The  manufacturer  can  here  find  an  opening  for 
almost  any  line  of  business  in  which  he  may  desire  to  engage.  He  can  utilize 
our  Iron,  Lead  and  Zinc,  with  which  the  country  abounds.  Our  Clays  offer 
great  inducements  to  the  manufacture  of  pottery. 

Woolen  mills  could  be  operated  successfully,  as  native  labor  is  not 
expensive  and  wool  is  cheap  and  can  be  procured  hi  unlimited  quantities. 

Machine  Shops  and  Foundries  are  needed  to  keep  pace  with  the  growth 
of  our  mines. 

Our  Fine  Marble  ctm  be  quarried  and  shipped  to  advantage.  The  great 
Sulphur  Beds  might  be  utilized.  We  should  not  only  supply  the  great  South- 
west with  Salt  and  Alum,  but  also  ship  it  to  distant  points.  In  fact  there  is 
hardly  any  legitimate  enterprise,  backed  with  sufficient  capital  and  brains, 
that  cannot  be  made  to  thrive  in  Socorro  County. 

A  glance  at  a  map  of  this  Territory  will  show  that  the  County  of  Socorro 
lies  in  the  heart  of  the  great  mineral  region  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  that  the 
leads  of  both  Old  Mexico  and  the  country  north  converge  to  this  point.  If 
there  had  never  been  any  development  made  the  face  of  the  country  alone 
would  prove  to  the  observant  mind  that  it  was  rich,  not  only  in  the  nobler 
metals  but  the  baser  also.  While  not  wishing  to  disparage  the  mines  of  the 
country  north,  yet  we  can  offer  inducements  that  they  cannot  compete  with. 
Our  mines,  to  say  the  least,  are  as  valuable  as  any  that  can  be  found  in  Idaho, 
Montana  or  Colorado.  \Vhile  they  can  be  worked  but  about  half  of  the  year, 
ours  can  be  successfully  operated  in  all  seasons.  We  have  no  blinding  »now 
storms  to  drive  miners  from  their  work,  nor  deep  drifts  to  stop  mining  opera- 
tions nor  prevent  prospecting.  In  fact  there  is  no  better  season  than  winter  to 
work.  A  tent  will  be  sufficient  the  year  round.  If  something  more  substantial 
is  desired,  timber  in  plenty  can  be  found,  and  adobes  are  easily  procured. 
Besides,  the  industrious  Mexicans  or  Pueblo  Indians  can  be  secured  as  labor- 
ers. Supplies  and  machinery  can  be  transported  to  almost  any  point 
in  wagons  over  natural  highways,  thus  reducing  the  cost  of  mining  to  the  very 
least  possible  point. 

One  advantage  that  Socorro  County  offers,  and  which  should  not  be  over- 
looked, is  the  fact  that  it  is  not  covered  with  land  grants,  as  unfortunately  is 
the  case  with  much  of  New  Mexico.  The  miner  can,  by  doing  $500  worth  of 
work  on  his  claim,  secure  a  title  f roja  the  Government  which  is  absolutely 


perfect.  In  othei  counties  much  of  the  very  best  mining  property  is  located 
on  grants,  and  tedious  litigation  on  the  part  of  the  owners  of  mines  will  no 
doubt  be  the  result. 

Socorro  is  eminently,  a  mineral-producing  County,  though  her  agricul- 
tural resources  are  considerable  and  largely  diversified.  It  is  upon  her  mines 
that  her  future  prosperity  largely  depends,  and  as  the  value  of  these  have 
been  amply  tested,  her  coming  greatness  is  assured.  All  that  is  wanted  is  to 
turn  the  tide  of  capital  and  skilled  labor  to  these  gold,  silver  and  copper- 
ribbed  mountains  and  hills  to  cause  her  to  leap  into  an  era  of  prosperity  that 
vvill  even  exceed  the  expectations  of  the  most  sanguine. 

As  this  report  may  circulate  considerably  among  mining  men  perhaps  it 
will  be  as  well  to  give  a  list  of  our  mining  districts  with  the  leading  ores.  The 
list  is  necessarily  incomplete,  as  new  districts  are  being  formed  almost 
weekly  and  new  discoveries  are  made  daily: 

SOCORRO  MOUNTAIN  District— Sulphate  of  silver,  carbonates,  argen- 
tiferous galena,  blue  and  green  carbonates  of  copper  in  gangues  of  calcite, 
heavy  spar,  quartz  and  quartzite.  Chalcidany,  Jasper  and  porphery,  are 
found  in  the  vicinity. 

LIMIT  AH  District— Argentiferous  copper  in  gangue  of  sulphate  of 
baryta  and  quartz. 

POLVADERO  District— Same  as  above,  with  the  addition  of  gold  in  quartz. 

LA  DRONE  District— Argentiferous  galena  in  colcite  and  quartz  gangues, 

Native  copper. 

LA  JOY  A  District— Argentiferous  galena  in  spar,  quartz  and  quartzite. 

coal . 

MANZANA  AND  OLO  Districts— Kidney  and  argentiferous  copper. 

8  VN  FELICITE  District— Sulphate  of  Silver,  carbonates,  green  and  blue 
carbonates  of  copper,  iron,  fire-clay,  coal,  etc. 

(iALLiNAS  District— Hard  carbonates,  lead  carbonates,  chloride  of  silver, 
oro-entiferous'galen-n,  molachite,  native  copper. 

S\N  BARU  District— Cuperiferous  silver,  iron.  coal. 

S  \N  PEDRO  District-Fire-clay,  iron,  copper. 

OSCURA  District— Argentiferous  galena,  carbonates  in  quartz  and  spar 

gangues,  nickel. 

HANSONBURG  District— Green  and  blue  carbonates  of  copper,  argen- 
tiferous grev:coppeiV  native  copper,  gold,  coal  etc. 

WATER  CANON  District— Gold,  nativelsilver,  argentiferous  galena,  man- 
ganese, zinc,Viickel,'argentiferous  grey  copper,  iron,  trace  of  tin,  etc. 

MAGDALEN  A  District— Argentiferous  galena,  argentiferous  grey  copper. 
The  district  also  produces  iron,  zinc,  cobalt,  etc. 

PUEBLO  District— Argentiferous|grey  copper,  argentiferous  galena,  red 
and  black  oxides  of  copper;  carbonates,  both  hard  and  soft. 

BEAR  SPRING  District— Coal,  argentiferous  grey  copper,  argentiferous 
galena,  graphite,  etc, 

SAN  ANTONIO  District— Coal,  argentiferous  galena,  argentiferous  copper 
in  quartze  gangue. 

SAN  MATEO^District— Gold,  silver,  copper,  iron,  lead. 

BLACK  RANGE  District— Gold,  silver,  copper,  lead  in  [quartz,  and  spar 
gangues. 


MOGOLLON  District— Gold,  silver,  varigated  copper,  argentiferous  grey 
copper,  argentiferous  galena,  and  prey  copper. 

DACTYL  District— Argentiferous  galena,  copper,  etc. 

The  above  will  give  the  reader  a  very  fair  idea  of  the  diversity  of  met- 
als which  abound  in  Socorro  county.  In  making  this  report  we  have  desired 
not  to  exaggerate,  but  rather  to  underestimate  what  we  have  and  what  is  in 
store  for  us.  Nature  has  indeed  been  lavish  in  her  gifts.  She  has  given  us  a 
salubrious  climate  for  the  benefit  of  the  invalid  and  for  the  protection  of 
health.  She  has  given  us  fertile  valleys  for  the  use  of  the  agriculturist  and 
immense  plains  for  the  stock  raiser.  And  above  all,  she  has  given  us  moun- 
tain ranges. 

"Rock-ribbed  and  ancient  as  the  sun,"  teeming  with  nearly  all  the  metals 
known  to  man,  that  the  speculator,  the  capitalist  and  the  working  man,  may 
have  an  unlimited  field  for  enterprise.  Untold  fortunes  are  now  locked  up  in 
the  mountains  of  Socorro  County  which  only  await  the  pick  of  the  miner 
and  the  use  of  machinery  to  bring  them  to  light. 

During  the  late  war  many  old  California  miners  enlisted  and  were  sent 
to  this  portion  of  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  for  the  purpose  of  protecting 
the  native  inhabitants  against  the  hostile  Indians.  As  these  "49er's"  crossed 
and  recrossed  the  mountain  ranges  their  practiced  eyes  detected  the  presence 
of  precious  ores  in  abundance,  and  when  discharged  from  the  service  they  set 
about  prospecting.  The  result  was  that  they  discovered  rich  leads  of  gold, 
silver  and  copper;  but  so  isolated  was  that  section  of  the  country  at  that  time 
that  they  found  it  impossible  to  bring  the  results  of  their  labor  to  the  notice 
of  the  world  Consequently  they  were  compelled  to  patiently  await  the  dawn 
of  a  new  era .  That  day  has  come,  andjfor  the  first  time  has  the  attention  of 
enterprise,  skill,  capital  and  speculation  beenjdrawn  to  Central  New  Mexico. 

AVithout  detracting  from  the  resources  of  her  sister  counties  in  this  Ter- 
ritory, or  any  other  localities  in  Uncle  Sam's  broad  dominions,  Socorro  County 
can  proudly  claim  a  place  in  the  foremost  rank  among  those  portions  of  the 
earth  on  which  nature. has  lavished  her  greatest  wealth. 

ANTONIO  ABEYTIA. 
M.  FISCHER 

COMMiSSlONEBS  FOB  SOCOBRO  COUNTY. 


A.' 


